🛏️ Very simple 🛡️ Brave and tough

spartan

1 7.6

Brave and self-controlled when facing pain or hardship

adjective
/ˈspɑrtən/

: espartano

Despite the harsh conditions, the team displayed a spartan spirit during the challenging climb.

Examples

It calls for spartan endurance.

The Glass Menagerie (1987)
Sad because of their antiquity and their exemplary and purely Spartan steadfastness...

Fiction book (1996)
Their spartan lifestyle meant they had few possessions and lived without unnecessary luxuries.
In the face of adversity, her spartan attitude helped her maintain focus and determination.

Antonyms

cowardly

81 3.9

Feeling fear and avoiding dangerous or difficult situations

How Stoic

unflinching

11 6.6

stoic

1 6.3

spartan

1 7.6

resolute

22 4.9

brave

860 1.0

Surface Forms

spartan positive

Morphology

spartan = Sparta (semi-transparent) = Sparta + an

The adjective is formed from the place name 'Sparta' with the productive suffix '-an', but understanding the meaning requires cultural/historical knowledge of Spartan austerity rather than purely compositional semantics.

Etymology

Spartan comes from the Greek city Sparta, known for soldiers who faced danger and pain with little complaint and great discipline. So calling someone spartan means they are 'brave' and have strong 'self-control' when times are hard.